


The Stars Choose Their Lovers

by Beatles_and_Bellarke



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Canon Compliant (Sorta), Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-16 11:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21506797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beatles_and_Bellarke/pseuds/Beatles_and_Bellarke
Summary: Richie Tozier knew he wasn't going to survive too long once Eddie died.  His death was sure to be swift and expected.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier/Stanley Uris
Comments: 1
Kudos: 56





	The Stars Choose Their Lovers

_ Eddie was dead. _ The words rang in Richie’s ears too loudly. He couldn’t stand it. Not anymore. He barely registered hands around his torso, dragging him towards the exit of Neibolt House.

“WE CAN’T LEAVE HIM IN THERE.” The desperate words hung in the air. The Losers knew they had to keep running or they’d lose Richie too. It hurt to see him like this. But Richie kept screaming, saying that he  _ wanted _ to go back, to die with Eddie. Ben refused to glance down, holding tightly to the sobbing form of a man. 

“We have to get out, Rich.” Bill’s tone left no room for argument. The group sans Eddie finally reached solid ground and light. They stepped back watching Neibolt collapse around them. Mike and Ben still had Richie and it was a good thing too. He was prepared to turn around and just run right back the way they came. 

  
  


“EDDIE! EDDIE.” Richie’s yells quieted to sobs as he said the name over and over. His best friend, the true love of his life, was gone and there was no way he could change that course. He watched Eddie impaled right in front of him. He doubted it would ever leave his eyelids for as long as he lived. Every fiber of his being was drained. 

“Why didn’t you just let me die?” The question wasn’t accusatory in tone. Merely an inquiry. “You all would have been able to get out faster, and I could be with Eddie and Stan.” The others scrutinized Richie with an odd look. 

“Richie, you need to live for them now. They both loved you but they wouldn’t want you to die to be with them.” Bill’s leader voice colored his tone. Richie glared at him, a hardend stare that made Bill grimace. 

“How do you know what they want? How the  _ fuck  _ do you know anything about them?? They may have been happy to see me. We were the closest of all of us.” Richie dared anyone else to contradict him. But he spoke the truth. 

Stan, Eddie and Richie were very much a unit. They were together for so much. Eddie and Richie were first to notice Stanley was missing in the sewers after fighthing Pennywise and Richie was the only one to go to Stan’s Bar Mitzvah. Bill shivered remembering what the Stanley spider said to Richie directly after accusing himself of killing Stan. 

Ben spoke next, trying his best to quell Richie.

“Rich, we need you here. We’ve already lost too many.” Richie seemed to be listening to Ben. He stood up, leaning more heavily on Mike than previously. “We love you Rich. I know it’s not going to be easy for you but we know how much you cared for Eddie and Stan. They’re still with you. We are too. You can make it.” 

Richie reached out a weak hand, placing it firmly on Ben’s shoulder in solidarity. 

“Well, we did it. We killed the fucking clown.” The others let out a half-hearted laugh. They walked away from Neibolt changed forever. 

Breathing became difficult for Richie as the years went on. He found the overwhelming waves of grief crashed upon his chest more forcefully than he originally anticipated. Everyday was worse than the one before. 

Slowly, he realized too late. Richie was dying of a broken heart. 

“Hello?” Bill answered the phone call hesitantly. The voice on the other end was not the warmest he’d heard but it wasn’t without sympathy. 

“I’m calling on behalf of Richard Tozier.” 

The name stopped Bill dead. He hadn’t heard from Richie in several years. It seemed odd since they’d all agreed to stay in touch. 

But Richie was hit hardest of all of them. The next few words were lodged into Bill’s memory. 

“He had a heart attack while on stage. He’s in Critical Condition. We aren’t sure if he’s going to make it through the night.”

Bill swallowed audibly, catching the attention of Mike who went over to rub his husband’s back gently. 

“How long do you think he has?” Bill’s voice sounded scratchy, his mouth full of cotton balls.

“Hard to say. We are prepping him for surgery right now. Hopefully he will make it through.” Bill knew that this was just the doctor trying to reassure him. Richie was strong, but without Eddie or Stan, he’d lost his will to live. 

The doctor went around calling all the surviving Losers, hoping their arrival would convince Richie to pull through but they all knew they were going to the hospital to say goodbye. 

Beverly and Ben were closest to his location and they visited first. 

“How are ya, Rich?” 

“Not great. But I’m hoping to see Eds and Stan the Man soon, so I’m at peace.”

Bev looked into the eyes of this 45 year old man and only saw him at 13. Young, carefree the clown in his group of friends. She smiled to herself. 

She knew this was going to happen. She’d seen it come to pass in the deadlights. But she also knew he died wrapped in love so he’d hold on for a little while longer. 

Richie refused to go to surgery. He didn’t want to be helped. He signed the paperwork needed to allow him to die that night in his hospital room with the only family that mattered. 

Bill and Mike showed up 3 hours later. Ben and Beverly were sitting with Richie, watching him grow weaker. 

“About time you two showed up.” Richie quipped, heaving slightly

“Rich, don’t talk.” Bill’s eyes glistened. He sat next to Richie in the chair beside the bed. “Conserve your energy.” 

“I don’t have much energy left.” Richie’s eyes began glazing over slightly. His breathing was labored. “I’m so...tired.” 

He tried to look at his friends but he couldn’t see anything beyond the haze. 

“It’s happening.” Mike’s voice faded in and out of Richie’s consciousness.

“We love you, Richie. Say hi to Stan and Eddie for us.” The last things Richie ever heard. Suddenly everything went black as he fell asleep for the last time. 

  
  


When he awoke, a figure hurtled towards him. The figure threw itself ontop of Richie’s body. The weight was much more solid than Richie anticipated, sending him careening backwards. 

“Richie  _ Fucking _ Tozier!!!!” Stanley’s voice was a calming ring in his ear. “It took a lot longer than I figured it would for you to be here, but that’s a good thing. It means you lived your life and we couldn’t be happier.” 

“Good to see you too, Stan the Man.” They broke apart and Richie looked around. 

“Where is Eds?” Stanley had a knowing smile on his face. 

“He’s here, no worries.” No sooner had Stan said that, than another familiar figure appeared in Richie’s periphery. 

This time it was Richie’s turn to run full-steam. The kiss was breathtaking. 

“I’m so sorry we left you there, Eddie.” 

“Don’t apologize for a thing, Trashmouth. You’re here now. That’s all I care about.”

“I love you, Eddie Spaghetti.”

“I love you too, Rich. Is it true we finally beat It?”

“Yes, it’s true. Happened right after you died on us, Eds.”

“Good. I didn’t have to see that fucking clown anymore.” 

“Now no one does. Everything’s over and done with. And I’m here to stay.” 

The three embraced again. They were just so relieved they were together again. The world wasn’t the same for any of them after. 

Richie felt that everything was right with the world. He was at peace, permanently. 


End file.
